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In a dramatic move aimed at ending the ghost worker syndrome, the government has directed all civil servants to report to their respective duty stations and collect cheques for their January 2012 in person.

The procedure is a departure from the system under which salaries were posted to the bank accounts of employees, some of whom, it has transpired, were non-existent. Information on the new system has been communicated to civil servants through a general notice - a fact confirmed yesterday by an official of the ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs* from which it originated, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

He hinted to The Citizen that the government had introduced the system as a means of grappling with the problem of ghost workers, through which much revenue was drained.

According to a copy of the notice seen by The Citizen, the order for personal physical presence at duty stations covers even workers who are out of their stations on official engagements, as well as those on leave.

It may be assumed, by extension, that, sick and bereaved staff, as well those currently out of the country are not exempt.

The notice states that the cheques of those who would not collect them would be returned to the paymaster general, to facilitate determination of the employment legitimacy of the would-be bearers.

Elaborating on the logistics of the new system, civil servants are supposed to report to their duty stations at 7.30am on pay day, which has not yet been specified, but customarily it is the 25th of every month.

They have furthermore been directed to carry and submit for scrutiny, duly signed letters of employment or contracts, official identity cards, and a copy of any salary slip within the year 2011 or 2012.

Reached for clarification on the subject,* the Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs, Mr Mustafa Mkulo, said he was not in a position to comment, directing The Citizen to contact the Permanent Secretary.The deputy PS, Dr Servacius Likwelile, confirmed that his office had issued the said notice, citing ghost payments as the reason.

He said the government was all out to eradicate the ghost worker problem. The government is determined to get rid of ghost workers, he declared, adding: We want to pay people who deserve to be paid, and stop losing taxpayers money to few crooks.

According to Dr Likwelile, stern measures will be taken against those who will be found guilty of forging and stealing the government funds.

The deputy PS hinted that the new procedure was one of the early steps in a broad-based revolution the ministry was undertaking, to make salary payment fraud-proof.

Ghost payments have constituted one of the biggest financial challenges to the government.

On March 22, 2011, President Jakaya Kikwete ordered audits to be conducted in all government departments after reports showed that Sh9 billion in salaries were paid to ghost workers in three ministries.

The President also directed that administrative action be taken against officials who sanctioned payment of the salaries to the ghost workers before legal action was taken by the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB).